Records & Information Management

Records & Information Management (RIM) regulates the creation, maintenance, use, and disposal of records and information for efficient business practices and regulatory compliance. RIM best practices ensure that records are appropriately managed and preserved, can be retrieved as needed, and are disposed of according to policy requirements. Policy & Records Administration facilitates implementation of the UC Records Management Program at UC San Diego.

The university creates, gathers, and maintains operational and historic records of its activities in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations as well as university policy. The University of California Records Management Program establishes policy and provides guidelines for best practice lifecycle management of university records.

On campus, the Records Management Program Oversight Steering Committee is charged with implementing the Records Management Program in accordance with UC policy. In conjunction with Policy & Records Administration, the committee provides guidance and recommendations for best practices on a variety of records related issues, including: vital records, records systems design and implementation, and review of adequate controls to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

Administrative Records

The UC Records Retention Schedule defines retention and disposition requirements for all administrative records owned by the University of California campuses, the Office of the President, University of California health sciences centers, and Department of Energy laboratories managed by the University of California.

UC Information Technology Services has systemwide policy responsibility for records, information practices, and maintenance of the Records Disposition Schedules Manual. At the UC San Diego campus, the Records Management Coordinator is responsible for implementing and managing the records program, as required by the Business and Finance Bulletins, Records Management Program (RMP) series.

Records Related to Research

The UC Contract and Grant Manual contains a comprehensive chapter on Records/Paperwork Access and Management. The UC Vice Provost for Research has compiled a matrix of retention and disposition requirements for Administrative Records Related to Research. In all instances, contracts associated with extramural funding should be consulted for specific retention and disposition requirements applicable to an individual award.

Save Space

Remove records that have passed their retention date from storage areas and archives (on/off campus, in all media) and recycle, shred, or destroy them. Move records not required for daily operations or frequent reference, but which have not reached their disposition date, out of offices to storage areas and out of active electronic mailboxes to electronic archives.

Protect the University

Policy & Records Administration offers the following classes three times per year. Visit the UC Learning Center for more information and to enroll.

Confidentiality of Records: Privacy, Access, and the Law

Helpful to anyone who collects, maintains or may be asked to release student or university records or information of a personal or confidential nature.

Basic Elements of Filing Systems

Learn the concepts and procedures for creating a sound records filing system.

Basics of Records Management

Learn how to better manage the information that flows through an office and the importance of maintaining and protecting that information. Those who need to learn how to evaluate records for retention, for archival/historical value, or for destruction will find this class useful.